Tangled Schemes

Elemental Assassin #3.7

by Jennifer Estep

This short story spans a period of time start­ing from the last chap­ter of Spider’s Bite and end­ing right before the begin­ning of Tan­gled Threads. It’s told from Detec­tive Bria Coolidge’s point of view and shows her search for her long-lost sis­ter Genevieve Snow. What Bria doesn’t know is what she’s going to do about the fact that Genevieve also hap­pens to be the assas­sin the Spi­der.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Short Stories, Vampires, Novella

15 pages, Online Fiction

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer is the author of the Elemental Assassin, Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at www.JenniferEstep.com or sign up for her newsletter: http://www.jenniferestep.com/contact-....

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Happy reading, everyone! 😎

Reviews

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanna know why Bria came back to Ashland? Then this is the extra for you!

While Bria is waiting for an informant who allegedly has information on the Spider, she flashbacks to the event that lead to her leaving Savannah and moving home.

There are also allusions to her own secrets, of which she has several.

This is probably my favorite extra so far . . . Either this one or the first one about when Fletcher first adopted Gin. FYI. ;)

You can read it for FREE on Estep's website here: http://www.jenniferestep.com/short-st...

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was really awesome to get to see this character's perspective on things. It does make me sad to know that her sister is right there and she's unaware. I'm looking forward to when they're honest with each other and seeing how that plays out!

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

....Bria!!!!

This is so consuming, knowing what Bria wants and thinks now... I am dying for her to realise and to see what happens!

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally read this out of order but it was nice learning a bit more about Bria and seeing how tough she is, not that I had my doubts and how devoted she was to finding Gin.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

She needs you, Bria, and you need her. It’s time to come home.

Finally we find out why Bria came back to Ashland. It was interesting seeing things from Bria’s POV, and the methods she was using to try and find her sister. Plus there were some action, and seeing Bria capture the bad guys was quite fun.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars... Bria Coolidge is a complex character that plays an interesting role in the overall developing storyline in the "Elemental Assassins" series... In this short story, we hear her POV as she assesses the Spider and her connection to this assassin... We hear regret and pain in her voice as well as determination to solve the mysteries of her past... looking forward to the moment when these two characters finally collide and truths are revealed:)

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some insight into Bria's life (Gin's long lost sister, who recently moved into town) and knowledge of the "Spider's" identity, as well as her search for her sister.

[Colourful Kenyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. It was great to see it all from her perspective. Great to see that she may have started to embrace that the spider might be her sis and may not be as innocent as she wanted her to be. I like the fact that she talked to Caine and did a switch and he was honest about things looking bleak there. Can't wait to see what comes next.

[Carol***BeautyandtheBeastlyBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit something...I didn't like Bria when she first appeared in the seeies.

It took me some time to warm up to her, which I did enventually. But it was good reading about what happened to her since she was separated from her Gin.

[Sandra]

FREE on the author's website, from Bria's POV!

[Sapphyria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tangles Schemes is told from Bria Coolidge's POV.

Bria is in Ashland to find her long lost sister Genevieve after receiving a telling photograph at her home. What she comes to by moving to Ashland, however, is a lot less info about where to find her sister, and a lot of information about an assissin with the moniker "The Spider." The Spider is an assassin with her sights set on Mab Monroe. Bria thinks The Spider is her sister but she hopes not. In an effort to find out as much info about The Spider as she can, Bria inadvertently finds herself the target of some nefarious underworld characters.

Another great tale in the Elemental Assassin series. I really enjoyed the writing style of this short story and that it was told form Bria's POV after newly arriving in Ashland. Having read the entire series thus far, it was interesting to see the struggle within Bria and knowing exactly how things were going to play out.

[Scratch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this a dozen books after the fact, I'm surprised to realize that the series was much *better* in the early books. I mean, sure, this short story includes one novel fight scene, but otherwise is just a summary of Gin and Bria's relationship from Bria's point of view, up through about book 3 of the Elemental Assassin series. But now that the series has become so formulaic, I realize that the early books had more suspense. At this point Gin and Bria did NOT have a guaranteed happy ending, and in fact there was tension as to whether they would even be on the same side. It's kind of nice, in retrospect.

[Connie N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

#3.7 in the Elemental Assassin series

Another brief short story to fill in a few blanks. We learn a bit more about how Bria happened to come to Ashland just as Donovan Caine left the police force. She's searching for her sister Genevieve, and she thinks she's learned that Genevieve is the Spider. But beyond that she's hit a brick wall. It was nice to look at the world through Bria's eyes, and I was very interested to see that she has a bit of a crush on Finn. (I do too!) Quick and easy and fun, especially since it fits right in before Tangled Threads, which I'm currently listening to.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series: Elemental Assassin #3.7
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good

This short story is told from Detective Bria Coolidge’s POV. It shows what led Bria back to Ashland and how she is determined to find her sister. I enjoyed seeing Bria’s perspective on the situation, especially dealing with the fact her sister is still alive. Also I liked that we see the first hints at her attraction to Finn.

You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.

[Nancy Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told from Bria Coolidge's perspective, this is a short story about her search for her sister, the Spider. Trying to pay people for information on her sister may cause Bria trouble, but then Bria has some elemental power of her own. Bria's as deadly as her sister even if they are on opposite sides of the law.

After a bad day, she ends up at the Pork Pit, Gin's restaurant, but the mystery about who her sister is, who the Spider is, remains.

Another freebie from the author's website.

[Selenity Jade (Coffee Addicts Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the peak into Bria's head! It was a nice change of scenery. I even liked that Donovan appeared in a conversation! I miss him or rather, the him from the first book. So much potential, so wasted. Anyway, a great little short story to accompany this series!

[Cori'sCorner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good short story.

[Andrea (mrsaubergine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

We finally get to see why Bria returned to Ashland. Another satisfying short.

[Jayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story reminded me how fun Venom was back when Gin was keeping her true identity from Bria and how Bria used to lean more towards the black and white of everything before becoming more grey.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story is 3.7 in the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series and focuses on Bria Coolidge.

You can read this short story for free on Estep's website.

My Take
This is from Bria's point-of-view and examines her conflict over sister versus Spider as she remembers life before Mab destroyed her family. Life with her sister Genevieve. We also get a ringside seat on her chat with Donovan Caine that'll bring Bria home to Ashland as well as a browse through her thoughts about Mab Monroe and the very corrupt Ashland P.D.

I think Bria has her order of non-contamination screwed up. Shouldn't she have put the gloves on before she started feeling up that envelope?

Most of this simply reiterates what's already in Venom , 3. It's just a different POV.

The Story
Detective Coolidge is getting desperate for information about the Spider. Desperate enough that she's willing to pay out for that info from her own pocket.

The Characters
Detective Bria Coolidge, is an elemental with a gift for Ice, and she's with the Ashland PD, one of the very few honest cops. She's also conflicted about this new information that the Spider is also Genevieve Snow, her older sister. She has sworn to take her in. Xavier, a giant, is her partner on the force, and he's in love with Roslyn Phillips.

She sees Finnegan Lane as a "sleazy investment banker", even if she is attracted to him. Sophia is a Goth dwarf who cooks at the Pork Pit that Gin Blanco owns. A restaurant where Bria feels at home.

Harriet Montgomery is an informant who claims to have information about the Spider. Selene is the friend with the actual info.

Mab Monroe is the Fire elemental who killed Eira, Bria's mother, Annabella, her oldest sister, and, she had thought, Genevieve. Elliot Slater was Mab's giant enforcer.

The Title
I'm thinking the title refers to the muddle of people in this series, all of whom have their own reasons for hiding or exposing Gin; it's a series of "Tangled Schemes".

[Liliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book

Tangled Schemes is told in Bria’s POV. Bria is Gin’s baby sister, if you don’t remember. This short story doesn't actually take place between any two books, like the other short stories tend to. This one spans from book 1 ( Spider’s Bite ) all the way up to just before that start of book 4 ( Tangled Threads ), and it shows Bria’s search for her sister Genevieve who she actually thought was dead, until recently. Little does Bria know that she is closer to her sister than she can imagine. But Bria does learn one astonishing thing about her big sister...

My big sister Genevieve was indeed alive—and she was the notorious assassin the Spider.

Amidst the flashbacks, in this short story Bria is out meeting someone who might be able to give her some information on the infamous assassin known as the Spider. AKA her sister Genevieve. Bria has not been able to track her sister any other way, and this meeting might just help her get a step closer to reuniting with Gen. But the meeting goes awry and Bria is put in some serious danger. But never fear...

I might not be as deadly as Genevieve had apparently become as the Spider, but I could take care of myself when push came to shove—even in Ashland.

... because she is just as badass as her sister! Now, if she could only realize that Gen = the Spider = Gin....

I absolutely loved this! I loved the POV and Bria and seeing her in action! I mean she is a cop afterall, and one of the good ones at that! And all the things she’s done, looking for her sister... it breaks my heart seeing Gin and Bria interact. Bria is just so close to her sister, and she doesn’t even realize how close.

Anyway, this one was amazing! I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of the Elemental Assassin series! It just gives such great background information into Bria's life.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story, told from Bria's point-of-view, shared Bria's life from when she got a folder containing a picture of her sister's hand, with a cryptic note, to a few days or a week or two after Elliot Slater and his men were killed (in Venom). :-)

It was fun to see that Bria knew her older sister was the Spider, but she doesn't know what she'll do about that when she finds her. I also enjoyed learning that Bria only initially thought Gin reminded her of her college roommate. She now thinks Gin reminds her of her sister, Genevieve Snow, and she wishes Gin was her sister (she'd love to "belong to the Pork Pit"), but Gin's background, established by Fletcher Lane, held up so well that Bria doesn't think it's possible that Gin could be Genevieve Snow.

Little does she know. . . ;-)

So. . . Fun!

Also, it was neat to see Bria use her Ice magic to save herself from an evil madam out to add her to her stable of girls. :-)

[Art (aka Whistler Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Point Of View can mean everything.
This differing one covering events over seventeen years brought a lot of clarity.
Many thanks to whomever is responsible for maintaining this site through the years.

[Anna Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told from the viewpoint of Bria, this is an eBook mini that re-tells what we already have been through in the previous book, just from a different angle. I have to admit, I was a little confused at first. Bria says that she knows The Spider is her sister Genevieve... but that's not the same as knowing that The Spider and Genevieve are Gin Blanco.

Okay, gotcha... moving on.

There's a complication in this that Bria has to get out of, which is fun, but mostly I couldn't give it four stars because... Bria should've been tipped off by Xavier's reactions that HE had the information she was seeking. A cop would pick up on that.

Worse, Bria says that she researched Gin Blanco's past and found out that she was an orphan who was picked up by a distant cousin and raised as his own. THAT should've tipped her off, too... seeing that Genevieve is an orphan who - not having a trace in the system - MUST'VE been picked up by a 'distant cousin'. Bria seriously could NOT be that dense and still be a good cop.

Bad writing...

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another online short story from the Elemental Assassin series, this one is told from the point of view of Bria Coolidge, the new, straight-laced cop on the Ashland police force. It takes place alongside the events of the first three books and ends around the same time that Venom, book three, ends. I liked learning what happened to Bria since the night her family was murdered by the Fire Elemental when she was just a young girl. We see that fateful night from her eyes and a little bit of how she lived her life afterwards. As an adult, Bria learns of the possibility that her sister is still alive and she sets out to find her. The story also hints at a possible love interest for Bria, which I hope it comes to fruition--I like the pairing! A quickie, but a must read for fans of the Elemental Assassin series.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bria's determined to find her sister, Genvieve, little does she know that she's already met her, as Gin and as the Spider. We get a peek into her mind as this tough little detective continues on her quest, as one now of Ashland's finest! She might be the only honest cop they have.

A shout out to Jennifer Estep for posting these awesome free shorts on her website. We get a point of view from all the essential characters in the series and it keeps the story fresh in our minds until the next book comes out. Keeping my fingers crossed that Owen Grayson will have a short of his own. I want to know what goes on in that bad boy's mind! *swoon*

[Netanella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another short story vingette told from the point-of-view of a secondary character in the Elemental Assassin series, this one follows Gin's little sister Bria as she searches for the assassin the Spider and her older sister, whom she learns is really alive. Here we learn that Bria knows that her sister and the Spider as the same person.

[⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is told from Bria's point of view and basically explains the reasons why Bria came to Ashland and her feelings about The Spider. It also lets us know where Donovan Caine went when he transferred out of Ashland. Unlike other short stories in the series, it really doesn't do too much to advance the story line, because it does rehash a lot of old information, just in Bria's voice. She does figure out PART of who The Spider is, but not the whole identity. It will be interesting to see how Bria reacts when she figures out the entire identity of The Spider.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bria's dogged determination to find her sister comes through in this one. She's got almost nothing to go on except a picture that doesn't give her enough details and a gut instinct that keeps her moving forward despite all the roadblocks that she keeps hitting. I like Bria. She's a lot like Gin. She's just a little less assassin-y.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

Tangled Schemes is a free read on the author's website.